Duke Breast Risk Assessment Clinic

Type:Specialty Clinic

If you are at an increased risk for breast cancer or want to discuss your breast cancer risk, schedule an appointment with our breast experts today. After a comprehensive evaluation and personalized risk assessment, our team will create an individualized care plan that includes ongoing breast cancer screening, exams, and if necessary, referrals to other specialists.

Services

Duke breast experts perform breast cancer risk assessments for women who may be at an increased risk for breast cancer due to a genetic mutation, family history of breast cancer, or individual risk factors. Risk assessments can identify women who may benefit from additional breast cancer screening and potentially diagnose breast cancer earlier. Proper risk assessment can also identify women who may benefit from certain prevention strategies, such as prophylactic surgery or risk-reducing medications.

Our goal is to create a personalized breast care plan that includes ongoing breast cancer screening, exams, and referrals to other specialists, as needed. This is important as each individual has different needs. A woman with a family history or genetic risk factors for breast cancer should be evaluated and managed differently than a woman whose breast cancer risk is influenced by environmental or lifestyle risk factors, such as taking hormone replacement therapy or a sedentary lifestyle.

What Happens During a Breast Risk Assessment?

During your first visit to the Breast Risk Assessment Clinic, you may meet with our nurse practitioner and/or breast doctor. You will undergo a comprehensive evaluation and personalized risk assessment.

After thoroughly discussing your breast cancer risk management options, they will recommend the most appropriate breast imaging and any referrals that are indicated for your individual concerns. Breast imaging options may include:

Screening and diagnostic mammography, including 3D mammography (also known as tomosynthesis)

Breast ultrasound

Breast MRI

If You Are At Risk for Breast Cancer

If your assessment finds that you are at average risk, you may be given a schedule for routine screening under the care of your primary care doctor.

If an abnormality is identified, you may be referred to a breast specialist at our breast cancer clinic for additional testing and management.

If you have a genetic predisposition to breast cancer, or one is suspected, you may also benefit from the close relationship our breast specialists have with the genetic counselors in Duke’s Hereditary Cancer Clinic. We can help arrange for you to undergo genetic counseling and testing, if appropriate.

As a returning patient, you may participate in an interactive small group session prior to your scheduled appointment. The group sessions, attended by 4-6 patients, will be facilitated by a breast care provider who will lead group discussions around topics such as breast cancer risk, nutrition, genetics, anxiety related to being high risk, and more. Other Duke providers may also participate in these sessions to provide focused education on featured topics.

Accepted Insurance

Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below. Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.

Below are the plans currently accepted in 2018. There are some changes to the plans accepted beginning January 1, 2019. More information will become available on PlanForDuke.com.

About Us

We are located within the state-of-the-art Duke Cancer Center on the second floor, in the same clinic as the breast imaging center.

Preparing For Your Visit

Before your first visit, please fill out the new patient form (below), collect your family’s cancer history (all types of cancer) including the type of cancer and age of diagnosis whenever possible, bring copies of any recent breast imaging reports, and bring copies of any biopsy or surgery reports (i.e. pathology reports) whenever possible.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call us 24 hours prior to your appointment time.

Patient Forms

Getting Here

Parking

For the convenience of our patients and visitors, parking garages and valet services are available near the Duke Cancer Center. The Duke Cancer Center is served by two parking garages — Duke Medicine Circle parking garage and Duke Hospital parking garage.